Disposable pet cleaning bag

ABSTRACT

A single use and disposable pet cleaning bag that is coated on the inside with a dry shampoo or a water-activated shampoo or pre moistened with a wet shampoo on the inside or throughout the bag. The caretaker places the bag around the pet and massages the shampoo into the coat of the animal, allowing for a much easier method of cleaning pets while providing a safer, more relaxing experience for the animal. When the cleaning is complete, the caretaker removes the bag which contains the dirt and hair that is shed by the animal and discards the bag, eliminating the required cleanup of the bathing area.

PRIORITY

This application claims priority of the U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/936,851 filed on Jun. 22, 2007.

TECHNICAL FIELD AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a single use, disposable bag to be used for cleaning animals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The current practices for cleaning pets such as dogs, cats or any animals have many disadvantages for animals and for their caretakers.

A disadvantage of using liquid shampoo in combination with wetting an animal with water is that a basin, a bathtub or the like is required in order to bathe the animal indoors. This leaves the caretaker with the job of cleaning the dirt and pet hair that is left behind when the bathing of the animal has been completed.

Another disadvantage of using liquid shampoo in combination with wetting an animal is that bathing an animal in a bathtub or the like can be a difficult, dangerous and messy task if the animal is unruly, does not want to be bathed and tries to escape from the basin. Often the pet will slip and fall or scratch the caretaker when trying to escape.

Another disadvantage of using liquid shampoo in combination with wetting an animal is that it can be a dangerous, painful or harmful experience for geriatric animals when they must be lifted into a basin as they may slip and fall or experience pain from being lifted.

Another disadvantage of using liquid shampoo in combination with wetting an animal is that if an unruly animal escapes from the basin, it creates an additional task of cleaning water, soap, dirt and pet hair from every area to which the pet has traveled.

Another disadvantage of using liquid shampoo in combination with wetting an animal is that the animal will often shake its fur when wet, spraying the caretaker and bathing area with water, shampoo, or flea bath and wasting those substances.

Another disadvantage of using liquid shampoo in combination with wetting an animal is that it creates a stressful situation for many pets and their owners.

Another disadvantage of using liquid shampoo in combination with wetting an animal is that the bathing must take place near a water source and cannot be done spontaneously, at any location.

Another disadvantage of using liquid shampoo in combination with wetting an animal is that it requires more than one product to bathe a pet, including a basin, a liquid shampoo and a towel or drying device.

Another disadvantage of using liquid shampoo in combination with wetting an animal is that it requires a four step process for shampooing: Wetting the animal with water, applying the shampoo, rinsing the pet and then drying the pet with a towel or air dryer.

A disadvantage of cleaning an animal with a spray-on dry shampoo or a spray-on wet shampoo is that of exposing the animal and the caretaker to the fumes of the spray shampoo.

Another disadvantage of cleaning an animal with a spray-on dry shampoo or spray-on wet shampoo is that the caretaker is left with the job of cleaning the towel that's used to rub the shampoo into the coat of the animal and the job of cleaning the pet hair that is left behind.

Another disadvantage of using liquid shampoo in combination with wetting an animal is that it is an especially difficult and messy task with larger animals.

A disadvantage of a reusable pet washing device such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,064 is the need to clean the apparatus of pet hair and dirt after the animal has been bathed.

A disadvantage of a reusable pet washing device such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,328 is the storage room required to keep the washing apparatus.

A disadvantage of using a wet bath to kill fleas or other parasites is that the animal may not stay in the bath long enough to receive the appropriate amount of treatment.

A disadvantage of applying skin absorptive medicament to an animal is that animals are frequently moving and making it difficult for a caretaker to apply the substance to an animal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the bag, showing a top opening with a drawstring closure, secured at the neck.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the bag, showing a top opening with a drawstring closure secured at the neck and a bottom bag opening with the drawstring closure secured beyond the feet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

A single use disposable pet cleaning bag that is coated on the inside with dry shampoo or pre moistened with wet shampoo, or coated on the inside with a water-activated shampoo, allowing for a much easier method of cleaning pets while providing a safer, more relaxing experience for the animal and eliminating the required cleanup of the bathing area.

The caretaker places the pet inside the bag and then secures the bag around the neck of the animal. (FIG. 1) If the bag is made with a top and a bottom opening, it may be placed over the head of the pet, secured around the neck and then pulled over the body and beyond the feet of the animal. (FIG. 2) The caretaker is then able to clean the pet by gently massaging the shampoo into the coat of the animal, creating a relaxing experience for the pet. When the cleaning has been completed, the caretaker then removes the bag which contains the dirt and hair that is shed by the animal and discards the bag. This eliminates the required cleanup of a bathtub, basin or bathing area after the pet has been shampooed.

The bag may be coated on the inside with a dry shampoo, it may be pre moistened with a wet shampoo, or it may be coated on the inside with a water-activated shampoo.

The disposable bag that is coated with a dry shampoo will not require water in order to clean the coat of the animal. The animal is placed into the bag or the bag may be placed over the animal, the bag is secured with a drawstring closure or any type of closure and the caretaker gently massages the dry shampoo on the inside of the bag into the coat of the animal. In this process, the animal is cleaned and massaged in a relaxing manner and the dirt and loose pet hair are collected within the bag. After the animal has been cleaned, the bag containing the pet hair and debris is removed from the pet and thrown away.

The disposable bag that is pre moistened with a wet shampoo solution will not require a separate water source to clean the coat of the animal. The bag may be packaged in any type of airtight container that will keep it moist. The animal is placed into the bag or the bag may be placed over the animal, the bag is secured with a drawstring closure or any type of closure and the caretaker gently massages the wet shampoo into the coat of the animal. The bag is pre moistened with the appropriate amount of wet shampoo such that it is moist enough to clean the pet and allow for a damp-dry rubbing to remove dirt and excess hair. After the animal has been cleaned, the bag containing the dirt and pet hair is removed from the animal and thrown away.

The disposable bag that is coated on the inside with a water-activated shampoo allows the caretaker to bathe the pet with a water source while eliminating the need to clean the bathing area after the bathing has been completed. The animal is placed into the bag or the bag is placed over the animal, water is poured onto the animal's coat before the opening at the neck is secured. The bag is then secured with a drawstring type closure or any type closure. As the caretaker gently massages the pet, the shampoo on the inside of the bag is transferred onto the wet coat of the pet and is activated. The shampoo can then be rinsed off the animal by pouring water through the opening at the neck while the pet is still in the bag. After the shampoo is rinsed from the animal and the water drains through the fibers of the bag, the bag which contains the dirt and pet hair is then removed from the pet and discarded.

An advantage of the disposable cleaning bag that's made with a dry shampoo or a disposable bag that's pre moistened with a wet shampoo is that it's possible for the caretaker to clean the animal at any location. The cleaning does not have to take place near a water source.

Another advantage of the disposable cleaning bag that's made with a dry shampoo or a disposable bag that's pre moistened with a wet shampoo or a disposable bag that's made with a water-activated shampoo is that cleanup of the bathing area and towel is eliminated.

Another advantage of a disposable pet cleaning bag that's pre moistened with a wet shampoo is that it automatically collects the hair of the animal within the bag, eliminating the need to collect any loose hair that falls from an animal while using a standard type of pet wipe or pet wipe mitten.

Another advantage of the disposable cleaning bag that's made with a dry shampoo or a disposable bag that's pre moistened with a wet shampoo is that only one item is required to clean the animal, eliminating the need for several products such as liquid shampoo, water, basin and towel or air drying device.

Another advantage of the disposable cleaning bag that's made with a dry shampoo or a disposable bag that's pre moistened with a wet shampoo is that airborne fumes from standard spray-on dry or spray-on wet shampoos are eliminated.

Another advantage of the disposable cleaning bag that's made with a dry shampoo or a disposable bag that's pre moistened with a wet shampoo or a disposable bag that's made with a water-activated shampoo is that it keeps the animal contained while the cleaning occurs, eliminating the danger of an unruly animal slipping and falling or scratching the care taker if trying to escape from a bathtub or basin.

Another advantage of the disposable cleaning bag that's made with a dry shampoo or a disposable bag that's pre moistened with a wet shampoo or a disposable bag that's made with a water-activated shampoo is that the animal is less stressed during bathing process because it receives a relaxing massage from the caretaker while the shampoo is being transferred from the bag onto the coat of the animal.

Another advantage of the disposable cleaning bag that's made with a dry shampoo or a disposable bag that's pre moistened with a wet shampoo or a disposable bag that's made with a water-activated shampoo is that the bag provides a much safer and gentler way of shampooing geriatric animals, eliminating the possibility of slipping and falling and the pain caused by lifting geriatric pets into and out of a washing basin.

Another advantage of the disposable cleaning bag that's made with a dry shampoo or a disposable bag that's pre moistened with a wet shampoo or a disposable bag that's made with a water-activated shampoo is that it's very easy to place the bag on the animal. Form fitted designs shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,641, U.S. Pat. No. 2,408,575 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,562,318 are difficult to use.

Another advantage of the disposable that's made with a dry shampoo or a disposable bag that's pre moistened with a wet shampoo or a disposable bag that's made with a water-activated shampoo is that the bag encompasses the body and paws of the animal for cleaning. The paws are not encompassed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,597. U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,636 is not a single use and disposable bag.

Another advantage of the disposable pet cleaning bag is that it may be made in any size to fit any size pet within the appropriate ratio of the bag size to the size of the animal.

The disposable bag can also be made with a dry, pre moistened, or water-activated pest control agent or medicament. U.S. Pat. No. 2,033,357 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,108,568 are not single use and disposable bags.

Another advantage of the disposable cleaning bag that's made with a dry shampoo or a disposable bag that's pre moistened with a wet shampoo or a disposable bag that's made with a water-activated shampoo is that it prevents the animal from shaking its fur during shampooing or a flea bath or medicament and it also protects the caretaker from the spray created by the animal shaking its fur.

Another advantage of the disposable bag that's made with a dry, pre moistened or a water-activated skin absorptive medicament or pest control agent is that it keeps the animal contained during the application so that the animal can receive the appropriate amount of the substance being transferred from the bag onto the animal.

Another advantage of the disposable bag that's made with a dry, pre moistened, or water-activated shampoo, medicament or pest control agent is that it can be used on domestic pets, livestock, or any animals.

An advantage of the water-activated pet cleaning bag that's made with a spun bonded or an appropriate type of disposable material is that it allows water to pass through it while trapping the pet hair and debris, eliminating the need to add a draining screen to the bag design such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,328.

The disposable bag may be made of a spun bonded material or any appropriate type of material that allows for the coating of the inside of the bag with various types of shampoos. The pre moistened disposable bag may be made of spun bonded or any type of material that may be pre moistened with a wet shampoo.

The disposable pet cleaning bag may be made with a single top opening (FIG. 1) or a top and a bottom opening (FIG. 2).

The disposable cleaning bag may also be made with a perforated hole for placing over the head of the animal and a reinforced panel that can be a laminated or coated material and adhered to the bag in order to make the bag more resistant to tearing that may be caused by the animal's claws.

The disposable cleaning bag may also be made with multiple layers that are perforated so that the inside bag with the shampoo coating may be removed when shampooing is completed and the remaining bag layer may be coated with an absorbing material & used as a drying bag.

The disposable bag may also be made with an absorbing material and/or a conditioner so that it may be used to dry the animal, condition the fur and collect the extra pet hair and dispose of the bag after use. U.S. Pat. No. 7,381,203 B2 is an example of liquid retentive materials.

The disposable bag may also be made of any type of material that would create a slight texture and/or a slight adhesive characteristic that would aid in the cleaning of the animal.

The inside of the disposable pet cleaning bag may also be coated with liquid packets of shampoo and/or conditioner that break open or dissolve into the coat of the animal when the pet is being massaged while inside the bag.

The shampoo in the disposable pet cleaning bag may include various scents.

The disposable pet cleaning bag may be secured at the neck and beyond the feet with a drawstring closure, adhesive closure, or any type of closure.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

All sited patents are hereby incorporated by reference into the instant specification. 

1. A single use and disposable pet cleaning bag that is coated on the inside with a dry shampoo or a water-activated shampoo or pre moistened with a wet shampoo on the inside or throughout the bag. A caretaker places a pet inside the bag and then secures the bag around the neck of the animal. (FIG. 1) If the bag is made with a top and a bottom opening, it may be placed over the head of the pet, secured around the neck and then pulled over the body and beyond the feet of the animal. (FIG. 2) The caretaker is then able to clean the pet by gently massaging the shampoo into the coat of the animal, creating a relaxing experience for the pet. When the cleaning has been completed, the caretaker then removes the bag which contains the dirt and hair that is shed by the animal and discards the bag. This eliminates the required cleanup of a bathtub, basin or bathing area and towel after the pet has been shampooed.
 2. A single use, disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1 wherein the dirt and pet hair are contained within the bag which is discarded after use, eliminating any cleanup of a towel or bathing area.
 3. A single use, disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the bag coated with dry shampoo or pre moistened with wet shampoo does not require a water source, therefore the pet may be cleaned at any location.
 4. A single use, disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the bag may be made of a spun bonded material or any appropriate type of material that allows for the coating of the inside of the bag with dry shampoo, water-activated shampoo or pre moistened with a wet shampoo on the inside or throughout the bag.
 5. A single use, disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the airborne fumes from spray-on dry shampoos in aerosol cans or spray-on wet shampoos in bottles are eliminated since the dry shampoo or wet shampoo is contained within the bag which is secured around the animal.
 6. A single use, disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1 wherein the bag may be made in any size to fit any size pet within the appropriate ratio of the bag size to the size of the animal.
 7. A disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the bag may be made of a spun bonded material or any appropriate type of material that allows for coating the inside of the bag with water-activated shampoo and provides for drainage of the water through the fibers of the bag.
 8. A disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the bag may be secured at the neck and beyond the feet with a drawstring closure, adhesive closure, or any type of closure.
 9. A disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the the animal is less stressed during bathing process because it receives a relaxing massage from the caretaker while the shampoo is being transferred from the bag onto the coat of the animal.
 10. A disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the bag that's made with a dry shampoo or pre moistened with a wet shampoo provides a much safer and gentler way of shampooing geriatric animals, eliminating the danger of slips and falls and the pain caused by lifting geriatric pets into and out of a washing basin.
 11. A disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the the bag keeps the animal contained while the cleaning occurs, eliminating the danger of the pet slipping and falling or scratching the caretaker while trying to escape from a bathtub or basin.
 12. A disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the pet is contained within the bag, preventing the animal from shaking its fur when wet and spraying the caretaker and bathing area with water, shampoo, or flea bath and wasting those substances.
 13. A disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the disposable cleaning bag may be made with a perforated hole for placing the bag over the head of the animal and a reinforced panel that can be a laminated or coated material that is adhered to the bag in order to make the bag more resistant to tearing that may be caused by the animal's claws.
 14. A disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the disposable bag may be made with of any type of material that would create a slight texture and/or a slight adhesive characteristic that would aid in the cleaning of the animal.
 15. A disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the bag may be made with multiple layers that are perforated so that the inside bag, containing the water-activated shampoo coating may be removed when the shampooing is completed and the remaining bag layer may be coated with a wetness absorbing material and used as a drying bag.
 16. A single use, disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the bag coated with dry shampoo or the bag pre moistened with wet shampoo is the only item required to clean the animal, eliminating the need for additional cleaning products such as liquid shampoo, water, basin and towel or air drying device.
 17. A disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the bag is very easy to put on the pet.
 18. A disposable pet cleaning bag according to claim 1, wherein the disposable bag that's made with a dry, pre moistened, or water-activated shampoo can be used on domestic pets, livestock, or any animal.
 19. A single use and disposable pet cleaning bag that is coated on the inside with a pest control agent or a medicament or a conditioner treatment or a wetness absorbing material for drying the animal.
 20. A method of applying a substance to an animal comprising a single use and disposable pet cleaning bag that is coated on the inside with a dry shampoo or a water-activated shampoo or pre moistened with a wet shampoo on the inside or throughout the bag or a pest control agent or a medicament or a conditioner or a wetness absorbing material. A caretaker places a pet inside the bag and then secures the bag around the neck of the animal. (FIG. 1) If the bag is made with a top and a bottom opening, it may be placed over the head of the pet, secured around the neck and then pulled over the body and beyond the feet of the animal. (FIG. 2) The caretaker is then able to clean or apply treatment to the pet by gently massaging the shampoo or treatment into the coat of the animal, creating a relaxing experience for the pet When the cleaning or treatment has been completed, the caretaker then removes the bag which contains the dirt remnants and hair that is shed by the animal and discards the bag. This eliminates the required cleanup of a bathing or treatment area and towel after the pet has been shampooed, dried or treated with a medicament or pest control or conditioning agent. 